Join ITS in November for hands-on Google Apps workshops. Each Monday covers a different collaboration tool.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Apple has just released a new version of OS X, 10.10, named Yosemite. Yosemite is available as a free download from Apple's App Store. If you decide to upgrade your Apple computer(s) to Yosemite, we strongly recommend that you back up all of your data first. Be aware that the installation time can take much longer than reported - up to 2 hours. If you have questions or concerns about Yosemite, please contact the ITS Help Desk at helpdesk@macalester.edu or 651-696-6525.

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Losing a laptop, tablet or smartphone at any time is always a painful experience. Here’s how you can protect yourself:

1. Never leave yours visible and unattended even "just for a minute" unless you have it secured with a cable lock (available for checkout at the Library and Campus Center).

2. Back up everything important (e.g., to an external hard drive, CD/DVD, Google Drive).

3. Most important: Register your device in the Google Doc My Inventory at Macalester. Your chances of recovery are much better if you can readily provide law enforcement with identifying information (e.g., make, model, serial number).

4. Consider installing laptop tracking software such as Prey, available FREE at preyproject.com.

Over the past year, a huge amount of attention has been paid to government snooping, and to the bulk collection and storage of vast amounts of raw data in the name of national security. What many of us don't know is that a much greater and more immediate threat to our privacy is coming from thousands of companies we've probably never heard of, in thename of commerce.

They're called data brokers, and they are collecting, analyzing and packaging some of our most sensitive personal information and selling it — to each other, to advertisers, even to the government, often without our direct knowledge.

Today we are giving up more and more private information online without knowing that it's being harvested, personalized and sold — our likes and dislikes, our closest friends, our bad habits, even our daily movements, both on- and offline.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

The fishing
season may be drawing to a close, but the “phishing” season is year-round.This is a reminder that phishing
scams continue and caution is important.Most recently some in the Mac community have received a message alerting
users that you are “running on low mail Quota” and should “Click Here” to
correct it.Given the poor grammar, the
fact that Google’s storage allotment is beyond everyone’s needs, and the
presence of an odd URL , this was obviously a scam.

Remember - NEVER provide personal or sensitive
information in response to any unsolicited email. Don’t open unsolicited email
attachments and don’t click on suspicious links.If
you’re not sure, either delete it or contact the ITS Help Desk (helpdesk@macalester.edu, 651-696-6525).

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

ITS staff will conduct a regular system maintenance period on Saturday October 25 2014, from 6:00 AM until 12:00 noon. We will be performing upgrades, testing connections, patching and doing other tasks to keep our critical campus information systems running efficiently.

Please expect that most networked services - including Banner, 1600grand, DegreeWorks and PaperCut-based printing - will be down, completely or intermittently, during the maintenance period.

Thursday, October 2, 2014

October is National Cyber Security
Awareness Month. NCSAM is a non-profit, public-private (with EDUCAUSE) partnership
focused on cyber security awareness.Because the cyberspace used by our community often transports sensitive
information such as financial records, grades, proprietary research, or
personally identifiable information--and because of the increase in sophisticated
threats--it is essential that everyone develop an awareness of how to
protect this sensitive information and be safer and more secure online.

NCSAM’s continuing theme, “Our Shared
Responsibility,” reflects the notion that no one person, department, or college
is responsible for the security of the Internet. Everyone must do their
part.

Tips on how to do this are available at
the Safe Computing Website and throughout the month under the NCASM banner in the Daily Piper.